Electric controlling and signaling system for railways.



N H. EpMoDONNELL.

x ELECTRIC CONTROLLING AND, SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

A'PPLmATIoN FILED AUG. 7, 1906.

909,201 Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1. l

H. E. MQDONNELL. ELECTRIC QONTROLLING AND SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 7, 1906.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnqpaw H. E. MQDONNELL.

ELEGTRIG CONTROLLING AND MGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS. APPLIOATION FILED we. 7, 19oe.

909,201 Patented Jan. 12,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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PATENT entice.

HERBERT EARLE MCDONNELL, OF LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELEJTRIO CONTROLLING A151) SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR BAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application filed August '7, 1906. Serial No. 329,606.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT EARLE Mo- DONNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leominster, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Controlling and Signaling Systems for Railways, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to electric controlling and signaling systems for railways and has for its object the improvement of such systems and their application in such fashion as to automatically control safety devices upon trains or other vehicles or at points over which the same must pass.

Briefly stated, my invention comprises a third rail or trolley system in which the third rail or signalin conductor is disposed preferably between the ordinary rails and is divided into sections according to the length of the blocks to be protected on. all railroads owning their own road-bed.

On railroads using public streets, etc., the signaling conductor is suspended overhead in the same or similar manner as a trolley wire. The ends of these rail sections preferably overlap, so that during a period of time determined by the length of the overlap, protection is extended to one block ahead and one block behind. Assuming the vehicles to be fitted with air-brakes in accordance with standard practice, my invention contemplates a controlling valve for the usual train pipe or emergency pipe, and a valve or switch controlling the motive force, these valves or switches to be operated by an electro-magnet or electro-magncts connected in a circuit which is shifted from time to time according to the direction of progress and the block in which the vehicle is proceeding. For the sake of simplicity. I usually connect one side of this circuit to the car wheels and the other side to a movahle contact in the form of a brush, trolley wheel, roll, shoe, etc, which sweeps along the signaling conductor. interposed between the electro-magnet and circuit terminals is a reversing or three point switch adapted to connect the magnet and current operating the same in one direction or the other, as may be determined by the po sition of a rocking lever having two arms which engage fixed projections or cams along the bloclr. The signaling conductor is insulated from the road bed and other rails, and

with only one vehicle in a block the electromagnet is without current flow. Should another vehicle enter the same block, proceeding in the opposite direction or moving toward each other so as to make a collision imminent, or should a vehicle be stalled on a block, and another vehicle attempt to enter the block from either direction the shifters would be in opposite positions, so that their batteries would be in series with circuits com pleted for operative purposes and both vehicles would he stopped by the interference of their respective magnets controlling the valves or switches in the train pipes, and controlling motive force.

In order to guard against open switches, misplaced signals and the like, I provide means whereby a switch tongue when open will short circuit the signaling conductor with the running rails or the power wire or rail, thereby completing the operating circuit for the first vehicle that comes on to that block. The same effect is produced when a signal is falsely thrown, wire connections being preferably carried from the signaling conductor and one or both of the running rails or source of power to contacts adjacent to the signal parts so that when the latter are operated the contacts are closed together. Thus the signal cannot be falsely set without stopping the vehicles. Various combinations of these two effects can be made, as for example, when a switch is open and the signal set to danger, the rails will be short circuited; or the track may then be clear but if the signal is falsely set to safety, the short circuit will he completed, etc.

While I shall illustrate and describe certain specific forms of apparatus herein, it will he understood that my invention can be practiced with sundry forms. Thus, I find it quite satisfactory to employ mercury cups with swing levers as means for shifting the circuits, these levers being controlled by depending arms overhanging the space between the tracks. in one figure I give a diagrammatic showing of a four-point leafswitch for the same purpose and controlled in the same manner. Specifically, I prefer the mercury cups, as more reliable, but it goes without saying that any form of pole changer or springs with platinum points or other agencies may be substituted therefor without changing the invention.

It will he apparent after reading the following specification that my invention can be applied to electric railways as well as to.

current for working the signal and controlling devices may be from a main central office or power house as well as from batteries or generators on the trains or cars. The changes required for this adaptation of the invention are only such as result from the change in the nature of the power employed. The intermediate wire or conductor for an electric traction road would preferably be located overhead aralleling the trolley wire, the pole-changing switch would preferably be operated from arms attached to the trolley poles, and the trolley operating on the intermediate wire might be attached to the main trolley pole, or it might have a separate trolley pole if desired. The operating cams would also be mounted upon a support at tached to the guy wires or other supports carrying the main trolley wires, and with these changes the operation would otherwise be the same as that generally indicated in the foregoing brief description. The intermedi ate wire would referably be attached to the guy wire or tro ley support in a similar manner to that employed with the trolley wire.

In the matter of switches on electric roads, I contemplate arranging the parts so that the opening of a switch will short circuit the intermediate wire or rail with either the track rail or the trolley wire, depending upon which block the switch is in. This will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a portion of a rail track with two switches, one open and the other closed, and a vehicle carrying safety devices and approaching the open switch. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the track divided into sections, equipped with insulated third rails with overlapping ends. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the mechanical parts of the safety devices on the vehicle, showing also a portion of the circuit connections. Big. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the safety devices. Fig. 5 is a side view of a track cam for controlling the same. Fig. 6 is a diagram similar to Fig. 2 showing the system applied to an electric railway. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail thereof, and Fig. 8'is a detailed section of the intermediate conductor used in Figs. 2 and 3.

I will first described the invention as ap plied to switches and crossings, which are illustrated in Fig. 1. In this figure, 1 and 2 are the track rails, and 3 the wheels of a vehicle adapted to run thereupon. 1 represents an insulated third rail or intermediate conductor which runs along between the track rails. 21 and 22 represent a pair of spur or switch rails branching off from the main track and provided with a switch tongue23. 24 represents in a diagrammatic form a switch contact which, when the tongue 23 is open as shown at the left of Fig. 1, short circuits the third rail 4 with one or both ofthe track rails 2 and 1.

Upon each vehicle is carried a set of safety devices comprising the following :a magnetically controlled brake or stopping device, which preferably cuts off the supply of power and at the same time sets the brakes; a local circuit and battery or other source of energy for the electro-magnet which *controls the same; a shifter or reversing switch for this circuit; and finally two circuit ter minals, one of which is attached to the wheels of the vehicle and the other is in the shape of a brush or trolley which runs on the insulated conductor. The safety devices are shown in one form in Fig. 3. Here T represents a train-pipe, or emergency airpipe, and V a valve controlling the same. The pressure of air in this pipe, as con trolled by this valve, is supposed to normally maintain the power applied to the vehicle, and to leave the brakes unset. When the valve is turned in the direction of the arrow head the pressure is supposed to be changed, the power taken off, and the brakes set. In order to turn the valve when necessity demands I provide an electro-magnet 19, in a local circuit 1118, including also a local battery B. The two wires, 14 and 18, terminate in. switch arms 8 and 10 respectively, which cooperate with fixed contacts 6-20, and 17-7, respectively. The con-. tacts 67 are joined together through the wires 13 and 23 and to the wire 12, which terminates in the brush 5 which travels on the third rail l1. The two contacts 20 and 17 are also connected together through the wire lating material to which they are pivoted.

This bar is ournaled at its end to the upper arm of a rocking lever Y, pivoted at 11 on the body of the vehicle, and having two depending legs, 3 9' adapted to be engaged by the cams C C placed along the track. camswill be more particularly referred to in the description of Fig. 2. As the lever. Y. rocks one way or the other owing to the raising of one leg or the other by its operating cam the switch arms are thrown over one way or the other thus reversing the polarity. of the terminals 3 and 5. As a substitute for the mechanical arrangement shown in Fig. 3, I may employ that shown in Fig. 4, wherein the rocking shaft X has arms x 00, carrying terminals at the ends which dip into mercury cups 620, 177. The cups themselves are connected to the These terminals 3 and 5, in the same manner as the j contacts of the switch in Fig. 3 and the arms 90 5c are insulated from the spindle or shaft X, and form the terminal for the wire 14. and 18, so that asthe shaft is rocked one way or the other the circuit will be reversed on the terminals 3 and 5. 'i he shaft X is rocked by the arms 4, g which hang down in the path of the cams on the traclz; and the shaft itself is journaled in ver 'cal supports if on the body of the vehicle, itself lying transverse thereto.

Referring new again to Fig. l, the diagrammatic showing of the safety devices on the vehicle will be easily understood, and i may state the operation thereof at once. Assume that the switch tongue 28 has been carelessly left open, and that the vehicle is approaching in the direction of the arrow. A short circuit exists, as already stated, which is indicated in the figure by the contact 24 touching the conductor T his completes a circuit not only to the switch T and the rail 22 behind it, but to the connected rails iorward as well as back from the switch. The conductor 4 is divided into insulated sections and as soon as the vehicle arrives in the section which is thus short circuited, a circuit will he completed for its safety devices as follows :battery B, 14, 8, 6, 13, 12, 5, i, 24, 23, 22, 1, 3, 15, 17, 1o, 19, and back to the battery. lhe electro-magnet itthereupon become energized and as indicated in Fig. 3, its energization operates the valve V, releases the air in the train-pipe, cuts oil the steam or other power, and sets the brakes. The vehicle thereupon stops, avoiding the open switch.

In utilizing these devices in order to avoid collision, I place the cams C C at the ends of the respective sections or blocks in wl'iich the tracks are divided. These cams are arranged on each side of the third rail in echelon or or stairstep formation, and each 0 1X is formed substantially as shown in Fig. 5. The signaling conductor itself is divided into sections, the ends of which overlap a considerable distance. The purpose of this overlap is to permit the protective influence of each safety circuit to extend backward as well as forward the distance of one block.

We will assume that the two vehicles indicated in Fig. 2 are traveling in the same direction. If the forward train is upon the block it has its shifting switch set in a certain direction. The train following it has its switch set in the opposite direction owing to the fact that it has passed over oppositely arranged cams in the block preceding so that when its brush engages the overlap portion of the third rail of the hlock in which the forward train is traveling it will place the batteries of the respective switch mechanism 5 of the forward train and the following train in series so that their magnets will be energized to operate the airbrakes or other controlling devices, and both trains will be stopped h i'ore the following train has its rocking levers engage the cams which control the block upon which the forward train is running. It will be observed that both trains are stopped in such position as to stop other vehicles approaching them in either direction, as trains appreaching either the block upon which the forward train is running or the block upon whicl'r the rearward. train is running will have their switching mechanism oppositely positioned and their batteries in series so that the magnets can work. if the leading vehicle should back into the block, its battery will be reversed, and the same effect will be produced of stopping both vehicles. Referring to Fig. 8, l have therein shown in cross section a preferred form of signaling conductor or intermediate rail, with its supports. The conductor is marked l, and a pair of supports are shown at 25 and 26, the upper ends being bent so as to clasp the conductors between them, and the lower ends turned over to form feet which may be spiked to a tie. These two members 25 and 26 are riveted or bolted together, or held in position by spikes or may be cast in one solid piece and slipped over end of rail.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, I have therein shown a modified form of the system as applied to an electric railway. The three point switch 27 which is indicated in these two figures may be of the same type as the mercury cup pole-changing switch shown in the other figures, or it may be any other desired or suitable type. its function is not to reverse the direction of a battery, but to reverse the connections of the magnet 19, so that it may be connected either between the trolley wire 28 and the intermediate conductor l, or between the said intermediate conductor 4 and the track or common return 1. In Fig. 6 l have shown one magnet 19 which is supposed to be located upon a car or train A moving in the direction of the arrow toward the right of the figure; and I have shown the other magnet 19 as being carried on a car or train moving in the direction or" its arrow toward the left of the figure. The train A has passed over the cams C C, which have left the switch 27 thrown to the left as shown, so as to connect the trolley 29 and the trolley pole 30 to the magnet 19, which, on the other side is connected to the brush 5, or its equivalent trolley or plow (according to whether the intermediate wire is strung overhead or placed on or under ground.) this being in contact with the signaling or intermediate conductor. (in the other hand the train B has its switch thrown in the other direction so that its magnet 1.9 is connected between the third rail or signaling conductor 4 and the track rail 1. We have thus a complete circuit from the trolley wire 28 as follows: 2s, 29, 30, 27, 19, 5, 4, 5, 19, 31, 15, 3, 1, power house generator, and back to the trolley wire. Both magnets 19 thereupon pull up and stop their respective vehicle. The operating cams C 0 maybe located upon the ground between the track rails as described in connection with the previous figures, or they may be supported overhead on the guy wire or upon arms extending out from the trolley poles. If on the ground, or beneath the same on a conduit, then the brush 5 will take the form of a plow or ground trolley, while if they are located overhead the brush 5 will take the form of a separate trolley, which, as I have already stated may be mounted upon its own pole or upon the regular trolley pole.

The system of Figs. 6 and 7 is not limited to electric railways. It is quite possible to string an overhead wire, or to lay a conduit, along any railroad track, and indeed both wires 28 and 4 may be placed within the same conduit, and may be passed over by a pair of brushes or plows taking the place of the trolley 29 and the brush 5 in the figure. Such a conduit need not be expensive, and in fact for steam railways it could be laid between the rails or on the ends of the ties, being supported by the latter. The current in such an arrangement can most economically be supplied from fixed points without carrying any batteries on the trains.

It will be understood that Fig. 6 shows the two magnets 19, each with one connection only. The other connection of each magnet from its switch 27 or 31 is omitted for the sake of clearness; but each of the magnets, that is to say, each of the train controllers, has the double connection 30 and 15.

It will be apparent after reading the foregoing description in connection with my drawings that many changes can be made in details without departing from the spirit of the invention. I consider my invention to involve broad novelty, and my claims should be construed accordingly. I am aware that many signaling and train control systems have been devised depending upon the division of the track rails or third rails into insulating sections, but I am unaware that any such systems have been perfected or succes sfully operated. By thisI do not mean that they have not been tried experimentally, but that no ordinary system can satisfy the exacting conditions of railway practice of today. My present system has been designed to obviate all possibility of failure on the part of the human agencies; and the principles involved are so simple, while their application is so direct, that absolute automatic control is assured with only such small chances of failure as must ever inhere in artificially made working parts. I consider that this is the first absolutely reliable system of control ever produced, and all variations, in matter of detail, are intended to be included within the scope of my claims.

While I have not illustrated any means by which a train can be started after it has once been stopped through the agency of the electromagnetic braking mechanism, I wish it to be understood that in practice each car is provided with a switch, and preferably a time recording switch, by which the engineer may either disconnect the electromagnetic braking mechanismor in any suitable way break the circuit so that the train may be started again. In using a time-recording switch it will be evident that any negligence on the part of the engineer will be apparent to the inspector or road superintendent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a railway system, the combination of the following instrumentalities: track rails, an insulated conductor divided into overlapping sections and lying contiguous to said rails, two or more vehicles each having stopping and braking means, and e1ectromagnetic controlling means therefor, together with a source of current carried by each vehicle, contact devices on each vehicle and circuit connections for the electro magnetic controlling means passing to said contact devices and thence to the track rails and insulated conductor, respectively, circuit shifting or reversing means upon each vehicle for said electro-magnetic controlling means, and fixed devices in juxtaposition to the track rails adapted to alternately act upon said circuit shifting means upon the vehicles to properly change the polarity of the source of current to correspond with the polarity of the source of current on another vehicle traveling in an approaching direction so that each will be braked or stopped without danger of collision.

2. In a railway system, the combination of the following instrumentalities: track rails, vehicles adapted to run upon the same, electro-magnetic stopping or controlling means upon said vehicles, together with shifting means and a source of current for each, and

a plurality of fixed devices arranged in predetermined order contiguous to the path of the vehicle and adapted to act in succession on the shifting means so as to automatically set the said stopping or controlling means on 7 each vehicle for direct or reverse effect, according to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

3. In a railway system, the combination of the following instrumentalities: track rails, an insulated third conductor, vehicles having terminal devices passing over said third conductor, controlling circuits on said vehicles with shifter or reversing devices in arranged in predetermined order along the track so as to alternately move the depen ing parts and effect the shifting differently for forward or reverse progression.

l. In a railway system, the combination of the following instrumcntalities: a pair of track rails, an insulated third rail divided into sections the ends of which overlap each other, a vehicle adaptedv to run upon said track rails and fitted with electromagnetic controlling means, a contact on each vehicle adapted to engage the third rail, and to engage both rail ends at each overlap, a circuit on each vehicle containing a pole changing or shifting device and a source of current, said circuit terminating on one side at the wheels of the vehicle and on the other side at the contact of signaling conductor, and earns fixed upon the road bed in echelon, to engage the circuit shifting device on the vehicles in direct or reverse order according to the direction of progression of the same, circuit connections being such that if two vehicles enter the same block from opposite directions the sources of current thereon will reinforce each other to operate the electro magnetic controlling means upon both vehicles, substantially as described.

5. In a railway system, the combination of the following instrumentalities: track rails, a third conductor, track cams at inter vals corresponding to regular blocks, vehicles adapted to run upon said track rails and having electromagnetic controlling means, a source of current upon each vehicle, and a pole changer adapted to be controlled by said track cams, said pole changer comprising a rocking shaft having a pair of depending arms adapted to engage the track cams successively so as to be left in one direction or the other after passing a set of cams according to the direction of progression. of the vehicles, and double mercury cup contacts controlled by said rocking shaft, with circuit connection therefor, all substantially as described,

6. In a railway system, the combination of the following instrumentalities: track rails, an intermediate insulated third rail divided into sections with their ends overlapping, a pair of track cams arranged in echelon on each side of the third rail at each. end of each section or block, the direction of echelon being reversed at alternate ends, vehicles carrying electromagnetic controlling means, local source of current, contact terminals therefor to cooperate with the track rails and third rail, and pole changers adapted to be acted upon alternately by the two cams of each set, all as and for the purpose intended, substantially as described.

7. In a railway system, the combination of the following instrumentalities: track rails, an insulated third conductor, vehicles having terminal devices passing over said third conductor, controlling circuits on said vehicles, together with a source of current for each and with shifting or reversing devices therein, said vehicle devices having depending mechanical parts and projections or cams arranged in echelon in juxtaposition to the track rails adapted to alternately engage the depending parts so as to properly effect the shifter and thereby automatically change the polarity of the sources of current.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT EARLE MODONNELL.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR W. Hoes, GEORGE C. TABOR. 

